Lift + Love

**CONTENT - mention of temple recommend interview, mention of temple endowment, mention of young adult dealing with depression related to suppressed homosexuality, brief general mention of the false belief that some people have that it's better to die sooner so that they can be "healed". If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, or is considering harming themself or someone else, please do not wait to get help. Contact 9-8-8 or 9-1-1 immediately.**

Well With My Soul - "Love is Bigger Than Fear" with Amie Steele Lift+Love Podcast  Episode 82

Amie Steele, author of the Substack “Well With My Soul,” joins episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston to discuss her family’s journey after her son Hunter disclosed he was gay following depression and therapy, and later her younger son Presley also came out, encouraged by how the family responded to Hunter. They talk about the common silence after coming out, the harm of shame, secrecy, and church messages that can damage mental and spiritual health, and the need for parents to open affirming conversations early. Amie describes how trying to fit her sons into a “perfect plan” led to painful questions about eternal families, and why she began writing to help others understand faith journeys aren’t simplistic. She shares a profound spiritual confirmation while Hunter and Jake looked at rings and recounts a stake president telling her she couldn’t receive inspiration outside church teachings, strengthening her resolve not to outsource parental stewardship; she notes ward members have often been supportive and celebrates Hunter and Jake’s flourishing marriage.

 

00:00 Meet Amie Steele

01:45 Hunter Comes Out

03:21 Opening The Conversation

04:12 Presley Shares Too

05:07 Creating Safe Space

08:12 Shame And Spiritual Harm

10:35 Faith Questions Emerge

14:15 Searching For Answers

17:42 Motherhood And Purpose

23:07 Journey Beyond Fear

26:40 Ring Store Revelation

28:09 Honesty With Leaders

31:34 Stewardship And Courage

35:38 Flourishing And Closing

 

Find Amie’s substack here: https://amiesteele.substack.com/

 

Find information about the Santuary documentary here: https://sanctuarydoc.com/

 

Learn more about Lift and Love on our website here: www.liftandlove.org

 

Divine Seeking - Declaration of Divinity Part 6 - Lift+Love Podcast Episode 81 

In this final episode of the 6-part Declaration of Divinity series, hosts Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter  talk about divine seeking, asking for greater knowledge about the Lord's plan for his LGBTQ children.

Before we jump in, we want to remind you that registration is now open for the fourth annual Gather Conference, the world's largest Christ-centered conference for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and those who love them, that will take place in Provo, Utah, this November.

Learn more about the 4th annual Gather Conference and get your early bird registration discount code on our website www.liftandlove.org/gather. Early bird registration discount codes valid through August 15th, 2026

 

 

 

In this fifth episode of the 6-part Declaration of Divinity series (ep 80), hosts Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter discuss why there seem to be so many LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and how we can better understand and appreciate everyone's gifts in order to carry out the Lord's work. Before we jump in, we want to remind you that registration is now open for the fourth annual Gather Conference, the world's largest Christ-centered conference for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and those who love them, that will take place in Provo, Utah, this November.

Learn more about the 4th annual Gather Conference and get your early bird registration discount code on our website www.liftandlove.org/gather. Early bird registration discount codes valid through August 15th, 2026

**EPISODE CONTENT - messages of shame and worthlessness that LGBTQ people hear, drug use, mentions of suicide and dying by suicide.**

In this fourth episode of the 6-part Declaration of Divinity series (ep 79), hosts Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter discuss difficult topics, including the shame and pain that can be caused by messages heard at home, in the community, and even at church, and how these messages have impacted the lives of their own loved ones. 

 "As mothers, we assert that any message taught to our children should reassure them that they are beloved children of God and so entitled to all the blessings promised to his faithful children."

Learn more about the 4th annual Gather Conference and get your early bird registration discount code on our website www.liftandlove.org/gather. Early bird registration discount codes valid through August 15th, 2026

**EPISODE CONTENT** - Allison and Jenie discuss temple covenants and temple attendance as a way to gain perspective and revelation about parenting an LGBTQ child

In this third episode of the 6-part Declaration of Divinity series (episode 78), hosts Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter In this third episode, Allison and Jenie share perspectives on how temple worship can bring inspiration for parents, and they introduce their third declaration of divinity, a statement to help parents build confidence in their parenting and realize the importance of each individual in God's plan and within each unique family. 

Learn more about Lift+Love on our website www.liftandlove.org

 

 Welcome back to the Lift+Love podcast, where we're featuring a six-part series of classic episodes called Declaration of Divinity. Each episode of the series is part of the larger discussion but also stands alone. If you missed the first episode, "Our Mothers Knew It," episode 76, you can go back and listen to it anytime.

**EPISODE CONTENT WARNING** - brief mention of suicide and/or wanting to end one's own life

In this second episode of the series (episode 77), Allison and Jenie discuss the importance of understanding the eternal nature and worth of LGBTQ+ folks, and are joined by special guest therapist TJ Thomas of Draper, Utah. TJ lives with his husband of 2 years and runs a private practice therapy where he works with individuals at the cross-section of LGBTQ+ and LDS communities. 

More about TJ Thomas: Therapist TJ Thomas currently has openings for new clients. People can find out more or reach him for free consultation calls at tjcounseling.com

If you, or someone you know, is considering harming themself or others, please don’t wait - call 988 or 911 immediately. multiple crisis hotline options are available (including call, text, and chat).

Learn more about Lift+Love on our website www.liftandlove.org

 

"Our Mothers Knew It - Declaration of Divinity Part 1 " Episode 76 of the Lift+Love Podcast

We're revisiting a series that means a lot to us: "Declaration of Divinity." It’s a six-part series, hosted by Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter, that was originally recorded back in 2021, but we’ve felt inspired to reintroduce it now, because it’s more relevant today than ever before.

In this first episode, Allison and Jenie open up about the sacred, but sometimes painful certainty so many mothers carry about their LGBTQ children, in a world where those children are often misunderstood, excluded, and devalued. After speaking with many hundreds of moms, Allison and Jenie put together a statement that they lovingly refer to as the “mama manifesto”- a statement born out of many hundreds of conversations with mothers of LGBTQ kids, who have all asked God for answers and received the same answer -  that their children are not just okay, they are divine and God has a purpose for them.

 The remaining episodes of this series will be released weekly (see schedule below):

• "Eternal Nature" - Declaration of Divinity 2 of 6 (Episode 77) - July 14th, 2026
• "Eternal Families" - Declaration of Divinity 3 of 6 (Episode 78) - July 21st, 2026
• "Divine Birthright" - Declaration of Divinity 4 of 6 (Episode 79) - July 28th, 2026
• "Divine Purpose" - Declaration of Divinity 5 of 6 (Episode 80) - August 4th, 2026
• "Divine Seeking" - Declaration of Divinity 6 of 6 (Episode 81) - August 11th, 2026

Learn more about Lift+Love on the Lift+Love website www.liftandlove.org

 

We're the Family We're Supposed to Be - Building Zion at Home (with guest Tandy Larson) - Lift+Love Podcast Episode 75

 

Episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston talk with Tandy Larson about parenting two daughters who came out as LGBTQ while she staying engaged with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, emphasizing that prioritizing a child’s mental health—after earlier suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and self-harm—helped her stay anchored.

 

Tandy describes how faith and family life became a long, non-linear “roller coaster” of grief and tension, requiring patience between spouses and among children with different comfort levels in church settings. She shares how their approach improved over time, keeping relationships first and leaning into discomfort by listening, learning, and building supportive networks through Lift+Love and community organizations like Equality Utah, Encircle, and Love Loud. They discuss responding to harmful church comments by speaking up, enlisting friends as advocates, and creating “Zion” as emotional safety at home, in friendships, and in the ward.

 

00:00 Mall Meetup Intro

01:23 Faith And Coming Out

01:45 Mental Health First

03:13 Second Daughter Shift

06:09 Living With Tension

06:42 Healthy Home Faith

11:47 Turning Point Lessons

15:01 Marriage And Church

19:15 Speaking Up In Ward

23:06 Building Zion Culture

27:54 Support In Adulthood

29:14 Celebrate Divine Design

31:56 Closing Thanks

 

You'll find the video version of this episode on the Lift+Love youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@liftandloveorg

 

Learn more about all the free resources that Lift+Love offers at www.liftandlove.org

 

Father's Day Special Episode: "I Don't See the Path - One Dad's Journey From Fix It to Feel It" with Josh Rollins - "Dad Lag", "Translating" Church Messages, and Finding Support for Latter-day Saint Dads of LGBTQ+ Kids - Episode 74 of the Lift+Love Podcast

In this Father's Day episode, episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston sit down with Josh Rollins — a former Bishop and father of 5 who leads Lift+Love's monthly dads support group. This is one of the most tender conversations the podcast has hosted.

Josh and his wife Jen have been married 28 years and have five kids: Jace, who is trans; Chelsea, who is bisexual; Aiden, who is gay; and two younger kids still at home. What makes Josh's story particularly layered is that he was serving as bishop when his kids began coming out — convinced his family was on track for the celestial kingdom, only to find himself suddenly without a map.

Josh talks through what it meant to watch Aiden — deacons quorum president, Eagle Scout — hit a wall that no amount of translating could get past. You can translate "find your special someone." You can't translate "get married in the temple." That's where the pain began.

He shares Jace's mission experience: leaving as a sister missionary, writing home to say "I have same-sex attraction happening," staying 15 months before Jen felt prompted to bring him home — and only then learning how dark things had really gotten.

The conversation moves into the concept of "dad lag" — why moms tend to adjust sooner — and Darice offers a reframe worth sitting with: women are already practiced at translating a male-centered church into their own experience, so the step toward empathizing with a queer kid's translation struggle is a shorter one. For dads wired to fix things, the journey from "fix it" to "feel it" takes longer.

Josh also shares the moment that finally allowed him to surrender: the quiet answer he received while wrestling with where his family fit in the plan. "They were my kids way before they were yours — and I've got 'em."

He closes with an open-door invitation to the dads group — a confidential, global space he didn't even know existed before Allison asked him to lead it. A place where dads show up running on empty and leave having said the things they can't say to their queer kids, so their kids don't carry the weight of their fathers' struggles.

The dads support group meets the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM mtn. It's free, confidential, and they meet live on Zoom (so you can join from wherever you live). Sign up at liftandlove.org/support and click on the "dads support group" button to receive the link and email reminders.

Learn more about all the free resources that Lift+Love offers at www.liftandlove.org

 

 We're pleased to reintroduce a classic episode of the Lift+Love podcast, featuring Patrick Mason and J. David Pulsipher. We think you're going to love it!

In 2021, episode hosts Allison Dayton and Jenie Hunter interviewed Patrick Mason and J. David Pulsipher about their book Proclaim Peace - The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict. This book is a spiritual journey by two believing scholars of peace. In a world plagued by violence, Mason and Pulsipher believe, with President Russell M. Nelson, that “peace is possible” and that the “descendants of Abraham . . . are in a pivotal position to emerge as peacemakers” (“Blessed Are the Peacemakers,” Ensign, Nov. 2002). This book is an effort to lift up the Restoration’s distinctive principles that invite us to renounce violence and proclaim Christ’s good news of love and peace to a world that desperately needs it. Proclaim Peace seeks not to promote any particular ideology, but to invite readers, especially the rising generation, to reflect on the interpersonal, ethical, and social dimensions of Christian discipleship. You can find the book Proclaim Peace - The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict on Amazon here